A group of four miniature dress medals attributed to Rear-Admiral E. J. Pollard, Royal Navy, Crimea 1854-56, 1 clasp, Sebastopol; China 1857-60, 2 clasps, Canton 1857, Taku Forts 1860; Royal Humane Society Medal, silver; Turkish Crimea 1855, Sardinian issue, all unnamed, all unmounted but with silver buckles, good very fine and better (4) £100-140

Edwin John Pollard was born in Gloucester on 21 April 1833 and joined the Royal Navy as a Naval Cadet in 1846. He served as Mate aboard the Vengeance during operations in the Black Sea, 1854-55, including the attack on sea defences of Sebastopol. As a Lieutenant commanding the gunboat Woodcock he took part in the bombardment and capture of Canton, December 1857, and in the same place, repulsed a very determined attack on his ship by fire rafts. He was awarded the R.H.S. Silver Medal in 1857. In 1858 he took part in the capture of Tientsin and the bombardment and capture of Namtow. In 1860, when in command of the Staunch, he was employed in the Gulf of Pechili and was present at the second capture of the Peiho Forts and Tientsin. He was specially mentioned for zeal in the Commander-in-Chief’s despatches whilst engaged in carrying troops and stores and disembarking them at Tientsin. For his services in China he was promoted to Commander in 1861. Pollard received promotion to Captain in 1868 and retired as a Rear-Admiral in 1885. In later life he was a J.P. and D.L. for Norfolk. Rear-Admiral Pollard died on 15 September 1909.

R.H.S. Silver Medal ‘On the 25th of November 1857 a seaman named Joseph White accidently fell overboard from the Woodcock gunboat, off Tiger Island, in the Canton River; a strong ebb-tide was running at the time. He, being unable to swim, would in all probability have drowned but for the gallant conduct of Lieutenant E. J. Pollard, R.N., commanding the gunboat, who immediately jumped overboard and swam to his assistance. On reaching him, the man became alarmed, and immediately clasped Lieutenant Pollard round the legs, who with one hand holding him by the neck had only the other to assist in supporting himself until he was picked up in a very exhausted state by a boat’.